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Fukuoka City Museum

gold sealancient historymuseumHan Chinaarchaeology

Fukuoka · Fukuoka City

33.5944°N, 130.3625°E

The Fukuoka City Museum houses Japan's most remarkable small object: the King of Na gold seal (漢委奴国王印), given by Emperor Guangwu of Han China to the ruler of the ancient Nakoku kingdom in 57 AD — a diplomatic recognition that predates the formal formation of the Japanese state by 600 years. The seal is 2.3cm square and weighs 108 grams. It sat unknown in a field in Fukuoka for over 1700 years before being unearthed in 1784.

Essential Information

Opening Hours

9:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Closed: Closed Mondays

Entrance Fee

¥200

Best Season

Year-round | Temporary exhibitions change 3–4 times annually

Visit Duration

60–90 minutes

Getting There

Access Information

Sawara-ku. Near Fukuoka Tower. A bus from Tenjin. Closed Mondays. Admission: ¥200.

Insider Guide

Premium

**The seal viewing:** The gold seal is displayed in a climate-controlled case in the permanent collection. Viewed in isolation, it looks almost too small to matter. Reading the accompanying history — 57 AD, Han China, trade empire, 750 years undiscovered — properly transforms the experience. **Temporary exhibitions:** The museum's temporary exhibitions (3–4 per year) focus on Korea-Japan cultural exchange and Hakata trading history — consistently the most insightful coverage of these themes available in English anywhere in Japan.

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